Estrogen receptors in the human female lower uninary tract.

Cytosolic and nuclear fractions prepared from the urethra, urinary bladder, and trigonum of the bladder obtained at urethrocystectomy from four female patients were analyzed for the presence of estrogen receptors. High-affinity estradiol receptors (KD 0.7 x 10(-9)M) could be detected in both cytosolic and nuclear fractions of the urethra from all four patients. Estradiol receptors could be detected in only the nuclear fractions of the urinary bladder in two of the four preparations. In the trigonum, cytosolic and nuclear receptors could be measured in one and three preparations, respectively. The receptor concentrations in both trigonum and the bladder were lower than those in the urethra. By providing experimental evidence for the presence of estradiol receptors in the lower uninary tract, the present data advance the case for estradiol therapy in incontinent patients.